Bayonne is coming full circle as a haven for the film industry
Bayonne, New Jersey is where life comes full circle. In 1907, the Centaur Film Company aimed to break Thomas Edison’s monopoly on motion pictures by becoming the first independent cinema house. More than a century later, Bayonne is preparing for a new entertainment studio complex that will take over the 70-acre site once occupied by Texaco. Originally a farming and fishing community, and then an industrial center under the presence of Standard Oil, this city on the Hudson River is finding its flow. “Different industries have come and gone, but Bayonne has adapted each time,” says Joe Ryan, public information officer for the city.
Top employers include UPS, located at the former Military Ocean Terminal. IMTT, which stores and ships liquid cargo, is another leading company. The city’s population declined from the 1930s to the 1990s, as the oil refining industry moved on. But it has bounced back in recent years. There are over 70,000 residents in Bayonne, and the median age is 38.
1888 Studios, which will offer spaces for the production of TV shows and movies, is also creating jobs in the run-up to its 2026 completion date. “They’ve signed an agreement to use unionized jobs during the construction phase,” says Suzanne Mack, the city planner. “That’s helpful for the local economy.” Another big project is the introduction of ferry service to Manhattan, expected to launch in spring 2025. That will bolster Bayonne’s reputation as a transportation hub. “A strong reason people move here is for the light rail access,” says Mack. Many tourists arrive via light rail, too, because they embark on cruises from Bayonne.
Bayonne is welcoming new construction in the form of 1888 studios, a movie studio compound.
Bayonne NJ is growing in size with the introduction of retailers like Costco.
The lightrail in Bayonne easily connects residents to other cities like Jersey City and Hoboken
Bayonne's is not that far from NYC, and you can see proof of this across the Hudson River.
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Few condos, but plenty of historic homes with colonial influence
About 60% of people rent in Bayonne, and new rental units are being built. But homebuyers shouldn’t expect those developments to include condominium units. “There’s very limited condo building in this area because banks don’t want to finance those types of projects,” says Mack. However, single-owner homes are available, and they are still stamped with Bayonne’s history. “Most of the properties are wood-framed houses built in the late 1800s and early 1900s,” says Ryan. “There are a lot of 19th-century homes in the Bergen Point area.”
As far as genres go, these homes can approximate colonial style with their steeply gabled roofs and covered porches. In keeping with Bayonne’s location on the waterfront, homes are cast in soothing colors like tan, yellow, grey and blue. Cedar shingles pop out on select streets, and so do brick accents. But it’s just as likely that homes are completely vinyl sided or all brick. Prices range from the high $400,000s to the high $800,000s. The median price of a home is $585,000 compared to the state’s median of $515,000.
Many of Bayonne's new construction is in the form of luxury condos.
Bayonne homes tend to sit much closer together than what you would see in quieter suburbs.
Bayonne has many residential houses with colonial influences.
Houses in Bayonne with carports and garages are hot commodities, ranging usually from $300k up.
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Bayonne High has an ice hockey rink
Bayonne School District earns a B from Niche, and scores an A-minus in the teachers category. Over 10,000 students are in attendance across 13 schools. Bayonne High, built in 1936, stands out not only for its massive brick façade but also for unique amenities like an ice hockey rink – the only one in a New Jersey high school. Several music videos have also been filmed there. Private school options are also available. “There’s one Catholic grammar school, one Protestant high school and an Orthodox Jewish yeshiva for boys,” says Ryan.
Bayonne High School is home to the Fighting Bees of Constable Hook.
Bayonne High School serves students living in the Constable Hook neighorhood.
Bayonne Higschool has been around since 1963 and it's architecture sticks out in a charming way.
Bayonne Higschool is located right alongside the bay.
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Annual events and diverse houses of worship
About a mile east from Bayonne High is one of the city’s architectural marvels. Clad in granite blocks, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church is adorned with over 40 stained glass windows made in Dublin. This active parish is on the National Register of Historic Places. Bayonne has also become known for its population of Coptic Christians, in part due to the number of Egyptian immigrants. There are two Coptic Orthodox churches in the city. Muslim and Jewish communities are also present here.
Warmer weather brings residents out to events. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated with a parade, dancing and corned beef sandwiches. Music on Broadway occurs on the namesake street every May, promising pop-up concerts. There’s more live music at the Bayonne Food Truck Fest, which also features a beer garden and activities for kids. Avenue C is the site of the Bayonne Farmers Market, open on Tuesday starting in the spring.
Bayonne has a big Catholic Community as seen in St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church.
Bayonne has many architecturally beautiful houses of worship such as St. Henry's Church.
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Bayonne is located right next to the 22nd street lightrail.
St Mary, Star of the Sea, in Bayonne hosts an annual carnival downtown.
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Light rail access is a big reason homebuyers move here
Bayonne’s numbered grid of streets makes it easy to navigate by foot. “Bayonne is where the landscape becomes more suburban, more residential,” says Tamayo Oppenheimer, a Realtor with Silver & Oak Realty. “It’s a little bit quieter.” But the grid is also a handy guide for remembering the locations of light rail stations, which are on Eighth, 22nd, 34th and 45th Streets. The upcoming ferry service will launch from the former Military Ocean Terminal, on Bayonne’s east side.
But drivers have convenient pathways, too, with Route 44 leading to the Bayonne Bridge. Interstate 78 also wraps around the city, leading commuters to Central Park in about an hour. For travel within city limits, buses along Avenue C ensure that commercial amenities can be accessed via public transportation.
The I-78 roadway connects Bayonne residents to Newark, NYC and goes as far as PA.
The Bayonne Bridge stretches across the Kill Van Kull and connects the city to Staten Island.
Big Box retailers like Walmart bring more jobs and traffic into Bayonne.
Bayonne is market growth can be attributed to the addition of larger retailers like TJMAXX.
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Gregg Park has athletic facilities and a bright blue running track
“Every mayor has a theme, and ours has been focused on parks,” says Ryan. “We’re part of Hudson County, and there’s a countywide promotion of open space. One of the nice things about Bayonne is the hometown feel and the abundant open space.”
Most parks are located on the north side, like 100-acre Gregg Park, which has facilities for basketball, pickleball, tennis and bocce. Opportunities for kids include a playground and spray pad. A bright blue running track fits in with the view of Newark Bay. People who enjoy passive recreation know it as a place to lounge and relax – fishers can be seen casting their lines into the bay. One of the most popular uses is walking on the paved paths and taking periodic breaks at ornate resting stations carved from stone.
Dennis P. Collins Park is located right on the Bayonne waterfront and offers great views.
Bayonne residents can play basketball at Edward F. Clark Park.
Gregg Park is massive and contains multiple full sized tennis courts.
Gregg Park's field in Bayonne is popular for football and soccer practices and games.
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Broadway Avenue is a cosmopolitan restaurant row
While it’s true that downtown Jersey City has all sorts of highly ranked eateries just a short drive away, Bayonne is developing a dining and retail scene of its own. “Downtown has the fancy restaurants, but Bayonne has bigger plazas and bigger stores,” says Oppenheimer. “You’ll even see people from Greenville coming over to eat at a hibachi place or shop at Costco. They’re not traveling downtown or to Bergen-Lafayette,” she says, speaking of a neighborhood known for its distilleries.
Some eateries can be found along Avenue C, but residents know they can find plenty of cosmopolitan options lining Broadway Avenue. Dominican, Mexican, Spanish and Lebanese cuisines are represented. More casual options include pizza shops, cafes, diners, bars and poke bowl places, which serve diced raw fish mixed with sauce and vegetables.
Broadway Avenue in Bayonne is where most of the restaurants and retail stores sit.
Broadway has a mixture of locally owned Bayonne businesses and chains.
Fluffies in Bayonne offers residents delicious chicken, sandwiches, fries and more.
The Broadway Diner has been a staple of Bayonne culinary life for generations.
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Violent crime is comparatively low
Bayonne’s crime score on the CAP Index is 3 out of 10. According to FBI data, the state’s violent crime rate in 2022 was 203 crimes per 100,000 residents. By comparison, Bayonne’s violent crime rate per 1,000 residents is about 14, and the property crime rate is 128.
Humid summers can be followed by snowy winters, with most accumulation falling in January, which experiences about 6 inches of snow annually.
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